Lockdown Protocol

The Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus paired with the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is a combination built on a very strong CPU foundation and a mid-range GPU. In Lockdown Protocol, this pairing produces a wide range of outcomes depending on resolution and settings, with a clear narrative: the CPU has immense headroom, while the GPU becomes the limiting factor as resolution climbs. The data shows that this is a capable 1080p and 1440p machine, but 4K gaming requires significant compromises in visual fidelity to hit playable framerates.

Similar Performance Alternatives

Looking at the benchmark database, the CPU and GPU in this combo each have close rivals that can help contextualize their performance. For the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, its average benchmark score of 84003 places it at the 96th percentile of all CPUs. The closest comparable hardware is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, which scores 83807, a negligible 0.2% difference. This means that in CPU-bound scenarios, the two processors are effectively interchangeable. Other nearby alternatives include the AMD EPYC 4584PX and the AMD EPYC 9135, which score 83090 and 82980 respectively, trailing the 290K Plus by 1.1% and 1.2%. On the other side, the AMD EPYC 7F72 outperforms it slightly, with a score of 85072, putting the 290K Plus 1.3% behind. For a gaming build, this indicates that you could swap the 290K Plus for the 285K with no noticeable difference in performance.

On the graphics side, the AMD Radeon RX 9060 is the primary determinant of FPS in this combo. It holds an average benchmark score of 16014 and sits at the 59th percentile of all GPUs. The nearest rivals show a tight cluster of performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a direct competitor, scoring 16129, which is just 0.7% higher than the RX 9060. This puts the two cards in the same tier for rasterization. Additionally, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 and AMD Radeon R9 370X are nearly identical in score, at 15852 and 15862 respectively, both being 1% slower. The AMD Radeon Pro W5500 is also close, scoring 15679, which is 2.1% lower. When building or spec-comparing, you can expect the RX 9060 to deliver performance within a few percentage points of these cards, meaning that a system with an RTX 3060 Ti would behave similarly in this game, assuming the CPU is not a bottleneck.

CPU and GPU Roles

The benchmark results for Lockdown Protocol indicate a clear shift in system bottleneck depending on the resolution. The CPU is not a limiting factor here; its performance is so far ahead that it allows the GPU to be the primary driver of performance in most scenarios. This is evident when looking at the scaling of FPS across resolutions. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 39, while at 1080p Ultra, it is 81. This 108% increase in performance when lowering resolution from 4K to 1080p is a classic sign of a GPU-bound situation, where the graphics card is working at its maximum capacity and the CPU is waiting. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus, with its 24 cores and 24 threads, is simply not the bottleneck; it is providing a stable platform that lets the RX 9060 show its true colors.

The GPU's role becomes more dominant as resolution increases, but the CPU is still the foundation. In this game, the difference between presets matters more than the difference between resolutions in terms of CPU load. The data shows that the GPU is the primary driver of the framerate, as can be seen in how the average FPS changes with presets. For instance, at 2560x1440, the average FPS goes from 128 on Low to 60 on Ultra. This is a substantial 68-FPS swing, which is a direct result of the GPU's workload. The CPU's high single-core performance, evidenced by its Cinebench R23 Single Core score of 7303, ensures that it can keep up with the game's logic and physics even at high frame rates. Therefore, in this pairing, the RX 9060 is the component that dictates playable settings; the CPU is not the cause of any performance limit you might hit.

Measured FPS Breakdown

The measured FPS data provides a detailed picture of the performance envelope for this combo. We start at the highest resolution, 3840x2160, where the system struggles to maintain high frame rates. At 4K Ultra, the average FPS is 39, which is below the 60 FPS playable threshold. Dropping to 4K High raises the average to 51 FPS, still not playable. There is a significant jump at 4K Medium, where the average rises to 59 FPS, with reported min and max of 50 and 68 FPS, respectively, showing it is still not consistently playable. The only playable option at 4K is 4K Low, which delivers an average of 83 FPS, a substantial 24-FPS improvement over Medium.

Moving down to 2560x1440, the system becomes much more viable. At 1440p Ultra, the average FPS is exactly 60, meeting the playable threshold. 1440p High provides a more comfortable cushion at 80 FPS. 1440p Medium is smoother still, with an average of 91 FPS and a min of 77 and max of 105 FPS. The best performance at this resolution is on 1440p Low, which produces an average of 128 FPS. The system's performance is also excellent at 1920x1080. At 1080p Ultra, the average is 81 FPS, which is well above the threshold. 1080p High offers a further boost to 109 FPS, and 1080p Medium gets you 124 FPS. The highest average FPS recorded for this game on this system is at 1080p Low, hitting 175 FPS with a min and max of 106 and 143 FPS.

The Verdict

Based on the data, this PC can run Lockdown Protocol, but the experience varies heavily by resolution. The verdict is clear: a 60 FPS average is the baseline for playability, and this system meets that only at certain settings. At 3840x2160, the system is not capable of a solid 60 FPS at Medium settings (59 FPS average) or lower, so the only playable setting is Low, which achieves an average of 83 FPS. For a 4K monitor, you would have to accept significant visual compromises. The system truly shines at 2560x1440, where every preset, including Ultra, is playable, with the Ultra preset hitting exactly 60 FPS. The best settings at this resolution are also Ultra, as it is the highest quality setting that still meets the threshold. At 1920x1080, the system is fully capable, with all presets, including Ultra at 81 FPS, delivering a smooth and playable experience. This is a 1080p and 1440p gaming system, and 4K is only for those who prioritize frame rate over fidelity.

How This Combo Ranks

This specific combination of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus and AMD Radeon RX 9060 ranks at 2194 out of 3714 tested combos for Lockdown Protocol. This puts it in the middle tier of all configurations tested. The ranking reflects that while the CPU is top-tier, the GPU is a mid-range part, which holds back the overall system's performance. The high 96th percentile of the CPU is tempered by the 59th percentile of the GPU, bringing the overall combo down to just above the 50th percentile. In this game, the GPU is the primary constraint, so the combo's rank is a direct reflection of its graphics card's capabilities. If you were to pair this CPU with a more powerful GPU, the rank would likely be substantially higher.

FAQ

Q: Can this PC run Lockdown Protocol at 60 FPS on a 4K monitor?

A: It can, but only at the Low preset, where it achieves an average of 83 FPS. At Medium, the average drops to 59 FPS, and it falls to 51 FPS on High and 39 FPS on Ultra, all below the 60 FPS threshold.

Q: What is the best settings to use at 2560x1440?

A: According to the verdict data, all settings (High, Low, Medium, and Ultra) are playable at this resolution. The "best" setting is Ultra, as it is the highest quality preset that still maintains an average of 60 FPS.

Q: How does the AMD Radeon RX 9060 compare to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti?

A: The benchmark scores show that the RX 9060 is essentially a direct competitor. The RTX 3060 Ti has an average score of 16129, which is only 0.7% higher than the RX 9060's 16014, making their performance nearly identical.

Q: What is the highest average FPS recorded for this combo?

A: The highest average FPS is 175, which is achieved at the 1920x1080 resolution with Low settings.

Q: Where does this combo rank among all tested configurations?

A: The combo is ranked 2194 out of 3714 total combinations tested, placing it in the bottom half of the database's results for this specific game.

Q: Does the CPU bottleneck the GPU at 1080p?

A: No, the data indicates the CPU is not the bottleneck. The Core Ultra 9 290K Plus has a high single-thread score of 7303, and the FPS differences across settings at 1080p show the system is still limited by the GPU's performance, not the CPU's ability to feed it with data.